Fire of a Dreamer's Heart
by tierra diosa
Summary: *This has been moved from my other account sorry for the inconvience* A Journey of love will always bring you back to the one who hold's your heart.
1. Chapter 1

The air whistled by as Appa worked his way through the red tinged clouds. The usual calming affect that it had on me was lost in the worry. Aang had gone missing and our search for him was going no where fast. I was scared. So very scared that something had happened to him and now our world would be left to Fire Lord Ozi.

And we would all perish.

I looked over at Zuko. He was looking so much more withdrawn then he usually did. Pale as if he was going to be sick.

If my brother knew that I was concerned for the Zuko…. He wouldn't like it, even though Zuko had changed sides and was now fighting with us, that I was worried for the Fire Kingdom's Banished Prince. As much as I was worried for our Avatar. As much as I worried for Aang.

"Zuko don't worry. We can take Azula." He turned to me. A blank expression shuttering down over his features locking me out. He didn't want to hear my hopeful claims that everything was going to be alright. Even though we both know that if Aang didn't show up… I didn't really want to acknowledge it.

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?"

My heart froze for a second. If Aang lost? He can't. He just can't lose. He's the Avatar. The Avatar will always will…

But then again, Aang is only twelve…

"Aang won't lose! He's gonna come back." I said firmly before continuing in a softer tone. "He has to."

The rest of out flight pass in a tense silence. Neither of us wanting to continue speaking our fears. All the what ifs crowding our minds. Leaving no room for happier memories or even thoughts of a happier future. The Fire Nation's palace came into view and I felt as if there was nothing left. Baby Hope would be crying her poor little soul out because I, the ever hopeful Katara, couldn't find a shred of hope left inside myself.

Astonished Fire Nation monks stared up at Appa causing a pause in the ceremony. And angering Azula.

"Sorry but you're not going to become Fire Lord today." Zuko said as he stood up on top of Appa's rather large and furry head. I watched as he made a pretty impressive leap to the ground before he spoke again.

"I am." The words so determined and focused that I didn't doubt for a second that Zuko would be the next Fire Lord. And I felt my hope spark anew.

But then again his sister is a few berries short a bush.

"You're hilarious" Azula laughed. A smirk gracing the face of the Fire Nation princess's face.

"And you're going down." I said angrily. Striding up to stop beside Zuko. Determinedly not letting any of the fear I felt show upon my face.

One of the monks made a move to crown Azula but she stopped him with a slash of her hand.

"Wait. You want to be Fire Lord?" She stood with an arrogant rise of her eyebrow. "Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother."

Her expression turned evil. The glare she sent Zuko's way chilled me and I began to worry even more for his well being. More than Aang. Probably more than I should have.

"The showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!"

"You're on!" Zuko growled. Causing me to look at him in confusion. Weren't these fire duels deadly? Isn't the who point to incapacitate your opponent and strike a final low? Knowing Azula, that blow would be fatal! Or at the very least he would end up with another horrible facial scar. And then what would he see out of?

"What are you doing? She's playing you. She's knows she can't take us both so she's trying to separate us." I said frantically.

"I know. But I can take her this time." He said calmly. Too calmly.

"But even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula." Trying to make him understand that while we believed in him, there was a chance that he was no match for her. He could lose. Again.

"There's something off about her. I can't explain it but she's slipping." He turned and faced me. And for a second I thought I saw something flash across his face. Concern? Was he concerned for me?

"And this way no one else has to get hurt." I nodded. Not completely understanding but willing to let him do this his way if he so desired.

I moved to the side and let him square of with his sister. Knowing that no matter which way this turned, I couldn't let Azula win. I couldn't let Zuko die.

They turned around facing each other and I held in sounds of horror to keep form distracting Zuko.

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother." Azula sneered as she pulled off her coronation robes. Dangling them from a few fingers before she dropped them to the floor at her feet.

"No you're not." Zuko stance never wavered. He was so focused. So aware. Yet, still I was afraid for him.

Without a warning, Azula dropped into her stance and a stream of blue fire poured form her hands. And soon all I could see was blue and orange fire intertwined as two benders flowed with the artful dance of their elemental bending.

I watched as buildings burned and entire areas of the coronation square seem to take life from the flames and take their own ruin into their own hands. The battle became more and more intense. Azula was rapidly losing her ever present poise while her brother contradictorily remained calm.

Suddenly Azula was knocked down. I watched from a safe distance behind Zuko as she rolled across the grounds. The momentum from Zuko's blast carrying her most of the way back to the coronation staircase.

"No lightening today?" Zuko tauntingly asked of his sister. "What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

"Oh, I'll show you lightening." Azula panted quickly forming many forks of bright, flashing, blue lightening even as Zuko calmed himself in preparation for redirecting it.

I watched as her eyes cut towards me and the lightening she had just prepared to send Zuko's way was barreling straight at me. Shock froze me and I couldn't move an inch. I never even saw Zuko race towards me.

All I saw was him jumping in front of the lightening blast as he screamed something I barely heard. I was too shocked to do anything other than watch Zuko absorb too much of that blue lightening into his body even as he attempted to redirect it skyward.

"ZUKO!" I ran toward him. The only thought in my mind was that he had saved me and now he might die.

His body twitched as the lightening continued to electrocute him. The spasms forcing him from a curled position on the floor to clutching his chest as he lay on his back. Every limb still trembling. Not a single scream left his mouth. Just a few groans of pain so low that, as close as I was to him, I couldn't hear them. I only knew form the pained expression and the tensed way his mouth was working as if he was gasping.

Another lightening bolt struck the ground in the space between Zuko's body and me. The crazed laughter of Azula filled the air. Then just as suddenly she raced towards me. Arms flung out behind her and crazed laughter spilling from her lips.

"I'd really rather our family physician look after little Zuzu, if you don't mind." She yelled down at me from the roof of one of the building that made up the square. Lightening sparking around her before she threw bolt after bolt at me, forcing me to seek shelter behind a pillar.

"Zuzu you don't look so good." I heard Azula sneer before lighten was aimed at my head peering out from behind the pillar. I barely escaped as the pillar I was hiding behind was crushed in the wake of the lightening strike.

I ran until I was closer to the trough of water and bended it towards her. Only to notice that she was gone. Blue fire poured from her limbs propelling her in a fast paced chase after me. Pulling water from the trough like gutters surrounding the coronation field, I formed an ice ramp and skated my way out of immediate danger. But I ran out and fell onto a grate which below had just what I needed. To save Zuko. To save the world or at least this country.

To save myself.

Looking up from the ground I saw a chain and the sparks of an idea started forming. I ran out to face her with the chain clutched firmly in my hand.

"There you are, you filthy peasant." Azula said as she came around the pillar. She walked towards me and I struck fast. I sent a few thin water whips at her causing her to roll away and land in a fighting pose on top of the grate. Just as she tried to attack, I brought a large wave of water from beneath us. As it enclosed us, the water froze.

In my mind, I breathed a sigh of relief. Her fingers were right before my nose. If her bending move had been completed, I would be beyond dead.

I let that sigh flow through my body and melt the ice around me allowing me to move. Flowing around Azula's body, I chained her to the ground before I completely melted the ice and pulled it tight. Then within seconds I was at Zuko's side.

I turned him over and prayed that I wasn't too late to save him. I placed my hands on his chest using the skills I learned form the Northern Water Tribe, I set out to heal him. When he reacted to the end of his pain, I turned hopeful eyes towards his face.

"Thank you, Katara." He whispered hoarsely.

Tears flowed from my eyes before I spoke. "I think I should be the one thanking you."

We stood watching Azula break down. Crying and spewing fire from her mouth in a giant arch around her. My hand resting on Zuko's back. Not to hold him up because he was doing fine on his own. But because…. I don't know why. I just felt the need to.

He watched his sister sadly before we turned away.

Zuko would be Fire Lord. He would make this nation a better one. He would be a good leader.


	2. Chapter 2

Following Sokka as he hobbled along through the crowds of people waiting for the coronation to begin was very slow paced. I knew my father was out there some where but at this speed we would never find him.

"DAD!" Sokka shouted as he spotted him. Then amazingly speed up his hobbling to a full out run.

"Dad!" I called and my father turned around smiling. We ran to him and was engulfed in his arms.

"I heard what you two did. I am the proudest father in the world." He smiled down at his son. As if to confirm that Sokka was a warrior equal to those that left all those years ago. But when he turned to me and said these words "And your mother would be proud too" I felt the tears well up.

The Kyoshi Warriors appeared behind us. And Sokka brightened up as he spotted Suki.

"There's my favorite warriors! I have to admit that I kinda missed the face paint." His eyes softened as he looked at her. "So how's it feel to be back in uniform again?"

Ty Lee popped out of no where. Well actually she came from somewhere behind Suki. "It feels great!"

Sokka's head nearly exploded from the shock. He hobbled at the speed of light to Suki's side.

"Careful, Suki. Ty Lee's pretending to be a Kyoshi Warrior again!" he held out his crutch menacingly at Ty Lee. Ty Lee stared him. Seeming a little taken aback and sort of confused as to why a crutch was in her face.

"It's ok. She's one of us now." Suki laughed.

"Yeah, the girls and I really bonded in prison. And after a few chi blocking lessons, they said I could join their group. We're going to be best friends forever!" The two Kyoshi Warriors that Ty Lee had looped her arms around their shoulders, gave big, strained smiles.

Zuko, dressed in beautiful coronation robes, walked out of the building and into the coronation platform. He was greeted by thunderous applause and cheers. Of which I readily took apart of.

"Please." He held up a hand and the crowd quieted a little. He turned and motioned for Aang to come forward and stand near him. "The real hero is the Avatar."

And the cheers erupted to eardrum splitting levels.

"Today, this war is finally over. I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation. And I will. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scared and divided." His eyes drifted over the crowd making everyone feel as if they were a significant part of this momentous occasion.

"But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path and begin a new era of love and peace." Zuko's eyes came to rest upon me as he said those words. And with just a look everything I thought I knew about my feelings crashed and burned and confusion set in.

He knelt down to accept the Fire Nation's golden, ornamental, five-pronged, flame styled hair piece. As it was placed into his top knot, cheers for the new life he promised. When he stepped forward with Aang at his side, the world seemed to take on a sort of rightness. The world was finally beginning to regain its balance.


End file.
